Classy sprinter Counterattack will retire to Kitchwin Hills this year after completing his winter engagements in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and G1 Stradbroke Hcp.

He carries the same Redoute’s Choice – Snippets cross as Australia’s champion sire-elect Snitzel.

Counterattack is a homebred for Geoff & Mary Grimish and opened his account in a Warwick Farm juvenile in April 2015 before travelling north for Group 2 fourths in the Champagne Stakes and Sires’ Produce Stakes at Doomben.

He came of age in the spring with Listed wins in the Heritage Stakes (1100m) and Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in the lead-up to a Group 1 placing in the stallion-making Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.

Sent to Brisbane again as a winter 3yo, Counterattack claimed a well-deserved Group 3 in the Fred Best Classic.  “He’s a class act but hasn’t had much luck this season,” trainer Chris Waller said.  “He’s as good as Japonisme who beat him home in the Coolmore.”

Waller will be hoping for another winning flourish at this year’s winter carnival after placings in the G2 Theo Marks, G2 Linlithgow, G3 Hall Mark and G1 Doomben 10,000 this season.  He is on the third line of Kingsford-Smith Cup betting this Saturday at $8 behind Black Heart Bart ($6) and Clearly Innocent ($7).

Counterattack is from Queensland provincial winner Kisma (Snippets) who has foaled Group 1 winners Red Tracer and Shellscrape to Kitchwin Hills stallion Dane Shadow.

“He’s a serious stallion proposition with a race record that reads like an honour roll of all the major Group races,” Kitchwin Hills manager Mick Malone said.  “It’s getting late to announce he will retire to stud this year, hence he will be very reasonably priced.”

COUNTERATTACK